Who can actually defend the more against cursing in any logical terms? They're not only just words, but words with synonyms that are considered acceptable. Obviously the true meaning of the word is completely different, but if curse words are wrong because they're rude, the reaction to them makes no sense. You don't have people seeing a movie and saying "Oh my goodness there are people in this movie being somewhat rude in an ironically conventional and superficial way, think of the children!"
Cursing taboos are nothing but a conditioned response that's brainwashed into people, and yet most of the population thinks they're somehow magically wrong, even more objectionable than violence. Most of them even seem to think it violates their religion, when there is nothing in the Bible about them whatsoever. It's a perfect example of mob non-thinking.
Cursing is not so much immoral as it is "rude." For instance, if I call someone a (whatever), it's wrong because it's not a nice thing to insult that person so deeply.
That said, there should be nothing wrong with cursing when you stub your toe or whatever. This taboo is exactly as you describe it.
The only thing wrong with swearing is the level of offense you are trying to cause.
While I have no personal convictions against "curse words" I realize that other people might find them offensive so I just use the thousands of other words in the dictionary instead. It's just a societal norm.
Most words are overused and just pretenses anyways. My dad used to always complain that most people like to use the most exaggerated words to describe the most commonplace objects. For example "This pizza is awesome!" It envokes a sense of awe? The same could be true of curse words, they seem to be set aside for emotional outburst, yet people tend to use them in very trite or mediocre occasions.
Just don't cuss in my house or my parents get super angry. I know some people to get their point across will belt a curse but usually I don't get that angry and if I do get that angry...I still won't cuss. It's more out of habit than anything else...but please I can't stand it when people drop the F-bomb like it's the world, "the"
I could care less. I match my useage of swearing with the person I talk to, as Astrid can testify to. 
You curse at me and I'll throw the same number of obscenities into my response.
What gets me is when people start going, "Whoa, calm down, no need to curse." I stare for a minute and say, "It may look like I'm staring at you with a mixture of contempt and disbelief, but I'm actually just meditating."
Well... it all depends on the environment for me. At home i see no reason to curse, actually i like to use BIG words... like indoobadibly, and allrighty then... but at work is another storry. at work, the F-Bomb as you might know it, is used in almost every other sentence when refering to some part of the aircraft that one may be working on. for example... "that F-ing panel wont come off because the F-ing screw got striped out." or "get the (H word) in the cockpit so i can turn on electrical power, and get this F-ing hydraulic bleeds done." Guess its all a matter of where i am and who im talking to. cursing is just... well... the extreme of a word. so hey, dont take it personal 
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"Oh my goodness there are people in this movie being somewhat rude in an ironically conventional and superficial way, think of the children!"
Yes, there are people who do that. I'd like to introduce you to my father one day if you truly believe there aren't.
However, it's not considered immoral, it's just considered rude. Most of us are trained to not be rude from a young age. That's why curses are considered words not to be used. It's the same reason why we're told not to use words that are not curses, such as "stupid" and "idiot." Curses are just considered the rudest words a person can use.
As for why someone might consider it worse than violence, it depends on whether or not a person is hurt more by words than violence. We're not all the same and words can hurt, particularly if used toward someone in a certain way all the time.
There are of course people who intersperse the word 'f' liberally into their sentences. Example:
"The other day I went into a fing Game shop and got a fing game, and the fing thing didn't f***ing work!"
Now that's just being stupid.
There's nothing wrong with taboo words, the problem comes when people don't even know their real meaning and spread them around like they're some kind of seasoning.
Most swearing doesn't really bother me, but there are certain words I'm only used to hearing when people are either angry at something or want to offend someone. So most of the time, if people direct them at me in conversation I can't help but get the impression that they're also directing either of the above emotions at me, even if I know it's not the case. It's like someone glaring at me for no reason while they're talking.
It doesn't mean anything, but I just assume there's a reason for them to use it and naturally it can get my back up.
Certain words I just don't like hearing because I tend to associate them with certain sub-sets of stupid people, like football hooligans or ten-year-old children with nicotine addictions.
See, I dunno. I never cared abot it because I heard it everywhere. I was told that they were words that should be savored for the more derelict-inclined of society-but then my mom became a hypocrite 4 hours after and cursed out her sister and they laugh so that left me confused....
ANYWAY
I merely think-as already stated- that the level of insults that you are willing to deal should be appropiate to the person or activity you are wielding them against. But then that leads to arbitrary interpretation of the situation..and then to ananlysis of how much vernacular you wish to use at that time... and then some people just get lazy and go **** it.
I just find it funny when people chain cursewords with other words that are suddenly made "derogatory", because its only then that the true humor of the situation comes out-no matter how heavily conflited it may seem.
I guess what I'm rambling about is merely the fact that they are just words, we just choose to see them as bad. Shoot, I wonder what happens when the linguistics change again and we get a new set of bad words...
Oh what, I thought people were going to reply with such witty quips as 'Who gives a @#%$?'
Let me be the first.
WHO GIVES A @#%$.
That is probably the most enlightening post I've ever seen. Next to this one, of course. 
I have nothing to say, I am saying it, and that is poetry.
Never say I didn't do the least I could do. o.o
I've noticed that it is ok to curse around people you know, but as soon as someone "new" enters the scene, people shoosh you for speaking candidly.
As a society we are afraid of offending anybody, which is why we don't use the "N word" or curse words around folks we don't know.
But there's no law against being rude, but this is a litigous society.
Imagine this scene in a courthouse...
"Your Honor, his vulgar language caused me mental pain and anguish!" says the defendant.
"That is f*(&!@# B*(($!!t your honor" I reply.
The plaintiff faints and must be revived by smelling salts, I'm then fined 200 dollars for profanity and forced to pay for the plaintiffs psychatrist visits.
Guess being polite pays off sometimes...or at least keeps you out of court.
Jimro
Anyone who talks to me frequently (or who look at my website) knows I cuss quite a bit, although I try not to in public due to the fact that some people really do find it offensive. I myself see nothing wrong, but I do have a question..
If the owner is saying who gives a @#$% about curse words, then why is there a swear filter on the board? >:O It's hard for me to hide it in the chat. I let some things slip by accident. Don't mean to, happens. I always apologize.
Well, technically, the only two REAL cursewords
are "Damn" and "Hell" because way way back in oldne days they were actually used to curse people.
I'll admit, however, that I am guilty of swearing like a sailor.
It's just habit, and I think people are too over-sensitive about it.
He's saying for discussion purposes, Sweetie. :3
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He's saying for discussion purposes, Sweetie. :3
Moooooooom, I told you, don't call me that in public.
I AM your father. *vader breath*
I should stop drawing this offtopic. o.o;
I'm referring to the tendency to censor it or see a problem other than rudeness or trite language. So replace people with mass movements to censor that get the attention of the media and government for some reason. Many people dislike it because it's rude, and I'm sure there are people who have a problem with or want to censor rudeness instead of just cursing, but they don't represent the viewpoint that is supported by the establishment. Rudeness has nothing to do with that viewpoint. The MPAA doesn't give automatic R ratings to movies that have more than one incident of rudeness. The FCC categories the f-word by what it's referring to, not whether it's being used as an insult.
I'll hold off my personal view for the moment.
Should I dig out that article that reckons that by FCC regulations class Oprah Winfrey as more offensive than Howard Stern, by way of a comparison piece?
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I'm referring to the tendency to censor it or see a problem other than rudeness or trite language. So replace people with mass movements to censor that get the attention of the media and government for some reason
Well, when you put I like that, you've really got me.
I'd be pretty shocked to hear "Oh, s---!" said in a childrens film but I wouldn't have a problem with "Oh, poo!". That is a bit puzzling unless you think that children should be shielded from knowing what a crap is (especially since the majority of small boys seem bizarrely fascinated by the stuff) and there's no logical reason that one word should be more offensive than any other.
In fact, s--- isn't even something I'd consider a swear word on most occasions, but I still think it should be censored in certain circumstances. It's just a rather daft social no-no.
I am so brainwashed.
This is easy.
Casual swearing is one thing, but the use of swear words is very useful. Personally, if I'm asking for an opinion from someone, their decision to use an alternative to the actual swear word decreases the severity in their point.
"That drunk guy you told to leave is still in the basement and is bothering people," I says.
Response A: "Tell him to get hell out of here!"
Response B: "Tell him to get the f**k out of here!"
If the person said response A, I would probably go down to the basement and tell the person they should leave. If the response was B, I'd pick them up by the wedgie and throw them out.
To me, swearing clearifies opinion, mood, and influences my interpretation.
When used properly, swearing can be funny. When overused and inserted at random into sentences that don't require an "anger signal", it's just annoying. Also when the kids pronounce it "fock" in their little high-pitched voices. God, that's annoying.
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I'd be pretty shocked to hear "Oh, s---!" said in a childrens film
Transformers the Movie (theatre / DVD version). ...And even in the VHS version, Ultra Magnus said "dammit" ...
They also say that in Home Alone, but it's difficult to hear unless you have subtitles on.
Um...good?
I already know it occurs, thanks all the same. There's no need to start a list on my behalf. Whether it happens or not wasn't really what I was trying to get at in my post.
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it's difficult to hear unless you have subtitles on
What interesting ears you must have :p
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What interesting ears you must have
After reading through my post again, I'm surprised no one said that earlier.
Personally, I try not to curse TO other people. I've just been brought up that way, and even then I slip when I'm really mnad. Now, cursing when you accidentally hurt yourself, that I do all the time, and while I can see why people get upset, I think its not SUCH a bad thing. Also, I love how parents seem to think a movie having unsuitable language should stop a child from seeing it: As if most kids these days havent heard those words already...
You know I'd like to think that one day society will evolve past the point where these ridiculous clicks and beeps that we spit out of our mouths hold so much weight. Why are certain words taboo? Because we are told they are . Ask anyone exactly why S--- is a cuss word. Chances are they won't know.
Thing is, if for some reason people were to start using 'Toenail' as an obscenity, the English language is as such that it will be rejected from polite speech.
"OW! TOENAIL!"
"Shut the Toenail up!"
"You're such a toenail ... you toenail."
"I'd like to toenail that!"
I mean that's why kids can't sing the last line of the Flintstone's theme without giggling.
Yeah, at least with other slang terms they didn't mean something else before hand. I'd still like to find the reject that coined gay to mean homosexual and stab all of his organs in alphabetical order.
They could have at least made up a new word. 
~Swiftheart (...Cute turned inward is evil.)
What's funny is when someone who doesn't know what certain curses mean, you turn around and use the meaning against them. Like this:
Person A: You b******!
Person B: My parents were married when I was born, thank you.
I actually told my sister this when she asked about the origin of certain taboo words. She was quite amazed to be honest.
I don't have a problem with light cursing. But if someone chains five or six of them in a row, then I get somewhat annoyed.
LOL, I've done that before.
Kid: NO F*** YOU!
Me: YEAH, I KNOW YOU WANT TO!
As far as I can remember, the Bible only says not to take the lord's name in vien. It doesn't say anything about the F word, the S word, the D word or any of the other "dirty" words. I use them quite fluently (except at home where my mom would have a fit) actually. I don't really care if it makes me seem immature or unintelligent. For me it's just every day vocabulary. As far as I'm concerned, words are made bad because people make them that way. 
I feel that there are more effective ways to express myself. So if I stub my toe, and a swear comes out - whatever. I have succeeded in expressing sudden pain. If I'm angry and badmouthing someone, I only use curses if I'm just trying to vent out my frustration. Most swear words are used in circumstances so far from their true meanings that the words themselves don't have much power to them.
well I believe cursing is ok as long as it is not outloud, infront of or used towards other people.
I have to tell the truth, I don't actually swear. Well, not from MY heart anywayz. If someone said something like:
Person A: You Fing IDIOT!!
Me: Did you hear that? He just called ne a Fing idiot!!
Okay, Okay, I lie! If a person really did say that to me you'd have to put tape around my mouth, but hey- I was provoked!
Man I have some friends who do exactly what Harly said. I think I actually had a friend say that exact line. I mean really, sometimes when people use curse words every 4 words it's just insane. I myself don't use them. I mean i'll use the H-word every now and then, and maybe even the D word but very rarely. I usually make up my own words like "Schick" which I use to replace...well it's pretty obvious wouldn't you say? 
But yea my mom really can't stand profanity...if we're listening to music with those words she'll turn the radio off altogether. lol
it makes me angry every time i see @#%$ censored on tv after the watershed. why is this word still being bleeped out? what is so awful about a vagina? some people believe it is sexist against women to use this word but i actually think the fact that it is so unacceptable is sexist, seeing as this came about because feminity and therefore the vagina were seen as terrible things in old europeon societies. also, i think the fact that @#%$ is censored in our lives is an unjust intrusion by governments into our lives. how dare a government tell someone what they can or cannot say or hear? it's not their place.
It's a censored word here and do not bypass the censor again. Next time is a warning.
How do you bypass censors? *bricked* Just kidding. **bricked again**
Why, with careful use of these characters:
!, $, %, *, #, @.
Nothing more useful than an upside-down i, or an s with a line through it, or a slanty h.
Why is 'bastard' not censored, but '@#%$' is? Doesn't make sense to me. It's just a female dog.
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Why is 'bastard' not censored, but '@#%$' is? Doesn't make sense to me. It's just a female dog.
Because "Child whose parents were not married when he was conceived and/or born" takes a lot mor effort to type than "Female Dog".And "But it means a Female Dog!"
is simply an excuse for people who want to use the word. very few people use it for that purpose often, people just want to be able to get away with saying it.
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Why, with careful use of these characters:
!, $, %, *, #, @.
And all of those, except the asterisk, would be considered attempting to bypass the censor and would get someone a warning.
Bastard isn't a curse. The other word is considered one.
Until recently in here, 'ass' was a curse, despites the fact that it also means donkey, and somebody who is an idiot.
I bite my thumb at thee, wench.
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Until recently in here, 'ass' was a curse, despites the fact that it also means donkey, and somebody who is an idiot.
Ass is a curse. Damn is a curse. Those two words have always been the only allowed curses here as noted in the rules since forever. That's why someone could type @$$ and be left alone in terms of bypassing the censor whereas using alternate methods to type s*** wouldn't. ;p All others have never been allowed and still aren't. The only "change" is that there's a totally uniform enforcement policy for the past 8-9 months here so there shouldn't be any issues anymore on that front. The rules aren't open to interpretation, which lead to problems, on language as they used to be.
Anyway, we shouldn't have to curse too often. We're big and tough; we don't need to fake it as well.
It reminds me of "Das Bus" when Bart says "We'll live like kings! Damn hell ass kings!"
You know, they're suddenly going overboard because there's no adults to restrain them.
It's a quote. Honest.
I believe you Harley. lol
